


Grounded

by soongtypeprincess



Series: Married Coppers [21]
Category: Life on Mars (UK)
Genre: Alternate Universe - Parents, Angst with a Happy Ending, Gen, Groundings, Tickle Fights, school fights
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-10-15
Updated: 2018-10-15
Packaged: 2019-08-02 09:44:16
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 3,986
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/16302800
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/soongtypeprincess/pseuds/soongtypeprincess
Summary: “You could have broken that boy’s nose, you know?” he said in a low voice.Ruthie’s eyes started to burn with tears but she took took a deep breath. “I know…” she muttered.





	Grounded

**Author's Note:**

> Ruthie is eleven years old and this kinda hurt me writing because...well, poor baby got punished. :(
> 
> I DON'T OWN THE LIFE ON MARS CHARACTERS!!

Ruthie looked out of the backseat window of Sam’s Cabriolet. The roof was not open this sunny afternoon, and she was anxious as she twirled a strap from her backpack around her fingers and bit her lip when she wrapped them too tight.

She examined the knuckles on her right hand. They were still red and her fingers were sore and tingly, but only when she pushed on them. She could still move her hand, but she was in some pain. 

Ruthie didn’t want to tell Sam about her hand just yet, though. He hadn’t spoken a word since they left the school and the tension was unbearable for her. She knew she was in trouble, and she wanted to break their silence.

“Dad?” she asked.

There was a pause before Sam replied, “Yes?”

Ruthie swallowed hard and decided to put off the details of her hurt hand until later. “Um...what’s for supper?”

Sam drew in a deep breath and slowly exhaled. Afterwards, he smirked as he cut a quick, firm glance in the rearview mirror at her. “I don’t know,” he said. “I have other things on my mind.”

The glare cut back to her in the mirror again and Ruthie looked down at the twisted backpack strap in her hand.

“Is there anything you’d like?” Sam asked her.

Ruthie sighed, hoping this idle subject could help ease her dad’s anger. “I don’t...I don’t know. I haven’t thought about it either.”

The car stopped at a traffic light and Ruthie could hear Sam’s wedding ring tapping against the steering wheel. It was a habit of his when he was deep in thought.

“You could have broken that boy’s nose, you know?” he said in a low voice.

Ruthie’s eyes started to burn with tears but she took took a deep breath. “I know…” she muttered. 

The car began to move again, going under the traffic light. Ruthie could hear other cars passing by as she lowered her eyes.

“You’re a very lucky girl, you know that?” he asked her. “Thankfully, his mum isn’t pressing charges and you don’t face suspension from school. Quite lucky.”

“And while I can appreciate all of that,” he continued, “there’s one thing I don’t appreciate and that’s being called at the station to be told that my daughter punched another student in the face!”

“It wasn’t like that!” Ruthie exclaimed.

“Oh, so his nose just blew up on its own, then?” Sam asked. 

“No, I mean it didn’t happen like he said!”

“Don’t raise your voice to me, Ruth Anne,” he warned. 

There was another silence between them and soon the car entered their street.

As they pulled into the driveway, Sam pressed the remote on his visor to open the garage door. He pulled into it and turned off the engine before looking in the mirror at her.

He was about to speak when Ruthie interrupted. “Dad, he was lying!” she said in a firm voice.

Sam turned to face her and frowned. “Do calm that tone, Ruth Anne,” he warned her. “We’ll talk about this when your papa gets home. In the meantime, you go upstairs and start your homework.”

“I don’t have any homework,” she said in a meek voice.

“Then sit quietly in your room until we call for you,” he instructed. He got out of the car and she slowly followed him. He unlocked the door leading into the kitchen and held it open for her.

Ruthie walked up the stairs to her bedroom and could feel her father following her. She didn’t turn around until they entered her room, where Sam immediately opened her closet. 

“What are you doing?” she asked, taking off her backpack, and she dropped it to the floor when she saw Sam holding her pair of her football boots.

“Where’s your football?” he asked, holding the boots with one hand.

Ruthie suddenly realized what was happening. “Dad, no…” she whined.

“Where is it?” he asked again.

Ruthie’s eyes welled with tears. “Daddy...” she said, her voice breaking.

Sam’s heart thumped hard in his chest. He hated punishing her and her tears were not helping, but there needed to be consequences.

He put his free hand on his hip. “I’m grounding you for three weeks,” he announced. “That means you go to school and then you come home, you do your homework, and you go to bed. No friends over, and no leaving our street on your bicycle.”

He licked his lips and cleared his throat. “Finally, you  _ will not _ be playing football this year.”

Ruthie gasped. “Dad, no!!”

“I’ll be phoning your team manager tomorrow.”

“Don’t pull me off the team! Please!”

Sam sighed. “Give me your football.”

“Daddy!” she cried. “I don’t want to be off the team!”

“Well, now you know that there are consequences to starting fights at school.”

“But I didn’t start it!” she shrieked.

Sam’s frown grew deeper. “Ruth Anne, if you raise your voice to me once more, then no football for the next two years!”

Ruthie sat on the bed and put her hands to her face as she continued to cry.

He walked to the other side of the room and found her ball next to her bookcase. He picked it up and held it against his hip. 

Sam walked out of the bedroom, closing the door behind him, and Ruthie fell onto her stomach on the bed and bawled into her pillow.

Sam stopped at the foot of the stairs and heard her crying. He wished that Gene would hurry home.

\-------

An hour passed, and Ruthie heard the Quattro pull into the driveway. She was curled up in her bed, her lamp being the only source of light, and she was pressing Bertram against her stomach.

She heard the front door open and a knot formed in her stomach. There was muffled talking and suddenly Gene’s voice called from below the stairs. 

“Ruth Anne!”

Ruthie tried to curl herself into an even tighter ball in the middle of her bed. She squeezed her eyes shut and didn’t move.

“Ruthie!” came Gene’s voice.

Downstairs, Gene took off his black coat and proceeded to hang it on the coat rack by the door.

“Mouse!” he called again, hands on his hips. “Come down!”

Sam crossed his arms and also shouted, “Ruth Anne, you listen to us this instant and get down here!” 

Still no response and Gene sighed as he took off his driving gloves. “Great job, love,” he said.

“I  _ did _ punish her already,” Sam explained, “She’s still upset.”

Gene stuffed his gloves in his coat pocket and stepped next to him. “What you do, then?”

“I grounded her and told her she couldn’t play footie this year.”

“What?” he said, turning a frown to him. “Sammy, she’s played her arse off! She never misses a practice and her passing has improved, and you’re just going to pull her off the team ”

Sam frowned. “You’re serious, Guv?” He pointed to the top of the stairs. “Ruthie punched a boy in the face today! I got a bloody earful from his mum, accusing us of condoning violence because our daughter bullied her son, and while I don’t believe Ruthie would bully anyone, the damage is done. She could have broken his nose!”

“But she didn’t,” Gene pointed out. “If Ruthie reacted the way she did, then the little bastard deserved it. Come on, she’s never done anything like this before, and yes, I’m quite serious about her playing football. That’s too harsh, Sammy.”

“I just don’t want this to happen again,” Sam explained. “She’s got to learn that fighting is wrong, and I just don’t think a grounding will get that message across.” 

“Ruthie got in a fight,” Gene said, “So what? She goes to a public school, just like we did. And who are you to act so high and mighty, Tyler? I can easily guess  _ you _ got into scrapes on the playground, what with that know-it-all attitude of yours. I got into plenty because I was a little twat, I’ll admit it. But, no! Let’s call off the world because Ruth Anne Gwendolyn Tyler-Hunt punched a prat.”

Sam sucked in one his cheeks and looked at him, saying nothing.

“Did you even ask her what really happened,” Gene asked, “since you claim not to believe the boy’s mum?”

Sam hanged his head and sighed. “No, that never came up. I was too cross. It was just...shocking and unlike her. I can’t imagine her being violent like that.”

Gene grinned. “I’d hardly call a punch to the conk violent.”

“God, she was so upset,” Sam whispered. “I broke her heart…” 

“Oh, don’t be dramatic,” Gene said. “Put the kettle on, love,” he said. “I’ll get her.”

He went up the stairs and stopped in front of her door. 

“Mouse?” he said. “Come talk to us, baby.” When he didn’t get an answer, he knocked softly. “Ruthie.” No answer still. “I’m coming in there, okay?”

He found her curled up in bed, her back to the door. She was hiding her face as he walked to the other side of the room.

Gene sat on the edge of the bed and cleared his throat as he loosened his tie. “Hi, baby,” he greeted.

Ruthie rolled onto her stomach and his her eyes in the crook of her arm. Gene moved closer and picked up Bertram and straightened the lion’s Bobby helmet. “So,” he began, “your dad says you’re grounded.”

She sniffed. “Yeah,” came her muffled response.

“How long?”

Ruthie sat up and moved to the edge to sit next to him. “Three weeks.”

He nodded as she laid her head on his shoulder. Gene picked a piece of lint off Bertram’s uniform before handing him to her. “Seems fair, I think,” he said. 

“Yeah…Dad took my footie boots, too.”

“He did?”

Ruthie began to cry again and Gene put his arm around her. He kissed her cheek and patted her back. “Come on, sweetheart,” he said as he stood.

She wiped her tears away and rose from the bed, still holding Bertram. They went downstairs into the dining room and sat just as Sam was pouring from the kettle. He brought over a mug full of tea and milk, and he set it in front of her, leaving a Penguin biscuit beside it. Ruthie glanced at Sam, who gave her a grin before going back to the kitchen.

Ruthie blew on her hot tea and carefully took a sip. She picked up the Penguin, but instead of opening it she played with a corner of the wrapper.

Sam brought back two mugs, giving a blue one to Gene before sitting down with his red one.

Gene took a quick sip before asking, “Ruthie, are you picking fights at school?”

Ruthie immediately shook her head. “No, Papa, honest. I’ve never hit anyone before today. I promise…”

“Well,” Sam said, folding his hands on the table. “According to this boy, you threatened him because his football kept coming onto your part of the field. He said you took it from him and--”

“It’s not true,” she whimpered.

“Hold on,” Sam said. “He said you took it from him and when he tried to get it back, you threw it at him and then you punched him in the face, causing his nose to bleed.” He took a big gulp of tea and sighed. “Is that how it happened?”

She shook her head again. “No, sir.”

“What really happened?” Gene asked. “Was he teasing you?”

“No, sir.”

Sam and Gene looked at each other, confused. 

“He wasn’t picking on you?” Gene asked.

She shook her head and continued to play with the Penguin wrapper. 

Sam put his elbows on the table. “Why did you hit him, then?”

Ruthie looked up from her lap and mumbled, “Beckie…”

“Beckie?” Sam said. “What about Beckie?”

“He was making fun of her,” she explained, “and he wouldn’t stop. We were kicking the football, and he took it from us. We told him to give it back, and he threw it at Beckie.”

Sam shifted in his chair as he listened to her.

“It almost hit  _ her _ nose,” she continued, “but she ducked and it missed her. We moved to another part of the playground but he followed us and started calling Beckie horrible names.” She squeezed Bertram and sniffed. “Beckie started to cry...and I got angry.”

“What’d you do?” Gene asked, moving his chair closer to hers.

She took a breath and said, “I told him to leave us alone or we’ll tell the teacher. Then I walked away and I thought he would stop then...but...then I hit him.”

“Why did you hit him?”

Ruthie looked at Gene. “He called me a dirty word.”

“What was it?” Sam asked. 

“I don’t want to say.”

“You won’t get in trouble this one time. What was it?”

She smirked. “Can I whisper it to you?” she asked Sam.

Sam was surprised, but nodded and leaned toward her. She told him in his ear, and Sam’s eyes widened as his jaw dropped. He leaned back and stared at her in disbelief. “Are you sure that’s what he said?"

Ruthie nodded. “I’m sure, Dad. Beckie heard him, too, and there were other mates of mine who heard.”

“Well, don’t leave  _ me _ in suspense,” Gene declared. “Papa would like to know.”

Ruthie looked at Sam again and he motioned for her to tell him. She whispered in Gene’s ear and he frowned. ”Well...he didn’t hear  _ that _ at Sunday Service.”

“I shouldn’t be surprised,” Sam said. “His mother used the same kind of language on me and the headmistress.”

“And where does this boy live?” Gene inquired. 

“Guv.”

“I know hitting others is wrong,” Ruthie told them, “and I kept telling him to leave us alone. I asked why he was being mean to us, but he just kept teasing Beckie and making fun of her clothes and her hair and I just...I just got so angry.”

Sam noticed that she was squeezing Bertram’s paw. “And that’s when you hit him?”

Ruthie nodded. “Yes, sir.” She looked at her right hand. “I’ve never hit anyone and I won’t again. It hurts.”

Sam saw that her knuckles were purple and he gasped. “Oh, God, Ruthie,” he said, alarmed. “I didn’t see that. Why didn’t you tell me?”

“You were cross with me,” she explained in a meek voice, “and I wanted to...I wanted to wait until you weren’t.” 

He closed his eyes as a pang of guilt ran through him. He had been so blinded by his anger that he think about seeing to any injury his child may have had, and here she sat with bruises forming on her knuckles. 

“Baby, I’m so sorry,” he said. “I’ll get ice for that.”

Gene watched him leave the table and open the freezer door until his attention was drawn bank to Ruthie, who was tugging his sleeve.

“Will you please open this for me, Papa?” she asked, handing him the Penguin.

Gene grinned and opened the biscuit. He gave it back and watched her take a bite. 

Sam returned to the table with a bag of frozen peas. “Let’s see your hand, love,” he said. 

Ruthie raised it for him and he gently placed it on the table.

“Oww,” she whined as the stinging cold ran through her hand and up her arm.

“I know, baby, but cold will help with any swelling,” Sam explained, brushing her blonde hair away from her cheek. “You can move your hand, though, right?”

She nodded and took another bite of biscuit. 

He sighed and kissed the top of her head.

“Mouse,” Gene said, “does this boy do this a lot?”

Ruthie sniffed. “Yes, sir,” she replied. “The teachers know it, too, but he keeps doing it.” She finished her biscuit and placed the empty wrapper on the table. “Dad, I’m sorry I made you get yelled at.

He and Gene laughed. “Ruthie,” Sam said, kissing her head again, “I’m quite used to being yelled at; it’s part of my job.”

“Yeah, but she was mean.”

Sam nodded. “I deal with mean people every day, baby.”

\------------

Later that evening, Ruthie was ready for bed and she stood at her bookcase trying to decide what story to start. She turned away from her books when she heard a knock on her door.

“Come in,” she called.

Sam entered with her football and boots.

She rushed over and looked up at him with hopeful eyes. “Does this mean I can play?” she asked.

Sam smiled. “Yes, baby girl, you can play.”

“Oh, thank you, Dad!” She threw her arms around his waist and squeezed. 

He smiled and pulled away to put her boots back in her closet. He then stood on one foot and bounced the ball on his other knee until he grunted and the ball fell to the floor.

“Dad, be careful with your leg.”

“Yeah, I forget about that sometimes.” He rubbed his right thigh and tossed the ball into the closet. “You find a book to read?”

She shrugged. “I was going to read  _ A Wrinkle in Time  _ again.”

“We’ve read that three times already,” Sam giggled. “In fact, I think we’ve read everything on that shelf.”

“Yeah, I know.”

He thought a moment. “Oh, I’ve got a book!.”

Ruthie became excited. “Really? What is it?”

“It’s called  _ The Hitchhiker’s Guide to the Galaxy. _ ”

“What? That sounds silly.”

He laughed. “It’s very silly, that’s the point. But it’s a fun book and I think you’d like it.”

They sat on the edge of the bed and Ruthie asked, “Am I still grounded?”

Sam nodded. “Yes, miss, you are,” he said. 

“Am I grounded from practice?” 

“No, you’re not.” He put his arm around her. “Your papa had a talk with me and I realized that I was really harsh with you. I was upset and, frankly, a bit disappointed in what you did. It was shocking, but now I know you were standing up for your friend. Still...I should have talked to you about it first, and I’m sorry.”

“It’s okay, Dad,” Ruthie assured him. “I know it was a bad thing to do, and I promise I won’t do it again.”

“You’ll get a teacher next time?”

She nodded. “Even though they won’t do anything.”

Sam pursed his lips. “I’m going to call the headmistress in the morning and tell her what you told me.”

“What if she won’t believe you?”

“You let me and Papa worry about that. But promise me that you’ll just walk away and ignore him, and if he persists, you go to a teacher. Don’t take matters into your own hands, Gene Jr.”

Ruthie giggled. “Dad…”

He smiled at her and then pulled her to his side, squeezing her as he kissed her brow. 

“Oh,” he said, “you forgot something.”

“What?” she asked, watching as he pulled something from his trouser pocket.

He handed to her the empty Penguin wrapper from her tea. “You never read the joke. You  _ have _ to read the joke.”

Ruthie groaned. “Daddy, they’re so stupid.”

“You always read them to us,” he laughed.

“Because Papa thinks they’re funny,” she pointed out. “But Papa’s downsta--”

“Gene, get up here!” Sam suddenly shouted.

“Dad, no, please don’t make me read it!” she giggled.

Gene walked into the bedroom and put his hands on his hips. “You summoned me, dear?”

Sam motioned to Ruthie. “Our girl has a joke for you.”

He noticed the Penguin wrapper and instantly clapped his hands once. “Right!” he exclaimed, leaning against the wall and crossing his arms. “I’m ready.”

Ruthie rolled her eyes. “Papa, I don’t want to.”

“You eat the biscuit, you read the joke,” Gene insisted. 

“Read it, baby,” Sam said, his smile growing bigger.

“It’s stupid!” she said. 

“In this house, young lady,” Gene stated, “we tell Penguin jokes.”

She sighed. “Okay...goodness.”

Sam and Gene exchanged a smile as they waited for a banger of a joke.

Ruthie groaned again and read the wrapper, mumbling, “What do you call a penguin policeman?”

She looked at them as they tried hard to hold back their giggling.

“Dad, can I just be grounded?”

“You’re not grounded from Penguins,” Sam said. “Go on. What  _ do _ you call a penguin policeman?”

She groaned. “The old bill.”

Ruthie’s eyes rolled back as far as they could go as her dads cackled. “It’s not funny, it’s stupid!” she exclaimed. “I don’t even get it.”

Gene walked over to her and bent down, kissing her cheek. “Copper humor, Mousey-girl.”

\--------------

“Guv,” whispered Sam against the shoulder of his dozing husband. He tapped Gene’s chest. “Guv?”

Gene groaned as he turned onto his side to face him. “I was almost asleep.”

“Sorry, love.”

“What is it?”

Sam put his arm over Gene’s shoulder, and he felt Gene’s hand on his lower back, caressing it with his fingertips. 

“Am I strict?”

He felt Gene lightly shake with a giggle. “You’re serious?”

“Yes, of course,” Sam told him. “I almost took away something our daughter has a passion for, and...if...what if I had ruined an ambition just because I lost my temper?”

Gene’s giggle was louder now. “Lost your temper?” he asked. “You don’t have one.”

“I do.”

“Since when?”

“Guv, we work together. You’ve seen me--”

“Oh, well if  _ that’s _ a temper, then I’m Postman bloody Pat.”

He heard Sam sigh into his chest, and Gene kissed his forehead. “For eleven years, you’ve made her eat her vegetables,” he said, smiling when Sam huffed, “ _ forced _ her to brush her teeth…”

“Gene…”

“Imposed horrible rules like  _ bedtime _ and  _ TV time _ .”

“I get the picture.”

“What’s more, if she _does_ misbehave,” he paused feign a shocked gasp, “you _ground_ _her_. Oh, bless this child!”

“Yes, thank you!” Sam hissed and turned away from him, crossing his arms over his chest.

Gene sighed as he reached out and continued caressing his back. “You’re a wonderful dad, Sam. The best a kid like ours can have.”

Sam couldn’t help but grin, but he didn’t turn to him. “Yeah?” he asked.

“Yeah,” Gene replied, “and you know I’m right.”

“I don’t like punishing her, for  _ any _ reason.”

“It’s hard,” Gene agreed. “Remember when I first put her in ‘time out?’”

Sam laughed this time. “She was hardly in it since you kept picking her up to explain why you put her in a corner.

“She was crying so hard. It was breaking me cold, black heart.”

Sam rolled his eyes. “You don’t have a--”

“What about me?” Gene interrupted, playful poking his finger between his shoulders. “Am I strict?”

“Are you serious?” Sam asked, turning back to him. “You’re like another child.”

Gene poked his finger in Sam’s ribs. 

“Hey!” he yelped, prompting a shushing sound from Gene. Sam poked him back. “What was that for--AH stop it!”

“How’s this for a child?” Gene asked, poking Sam’s stomach.

“Guv, no! Don’t poke there!” Sam giggled, moving away from him. “No! Stop it! Okay, I take it back!”

Gene rolled onto his back and put his hands behind his head. “As I was saying, you’re not---oi!”

He jumped when felt Sam’s fingers racing over his stomach. He muffled his laughter while trying to pin down Sam’s anxious fingers. 

“Now, you cut that out!” Gene demanded.

“You didn’t say ‘no take-backs,’ Guv!” Sam said, freeing one of his hands and reaching to tickle under Gene’s arm.

“Who’s a child?” Gene growled as he finally pinned down his wrists.

Gene sighed as he looked down at Sam, who was grinning, his dark eyes twinkling in the streetlight that shone through the curtains.

Gene shook his head and bent to kiss him. 

He then traced Sam’s lips with his and whispered, “I was almost asleep, Tyler.”


End file.
